Month: July 2016

Is there anyone who hasn’t played a video game? I suspect not. I used to play an online game called World of Warcraft. I used to play Dungeons and Dragons and other tabletop games. I used to play Live-Action Role Playing games (LARPs). All of these games involve creating a character through which you can participate in the game.

I drive a 1999 Chevy Suburban. I got it because it seats 8 and still has cargo room. Even without the cargo room, I would have gotten it because there just aren’t many vehicles that can carry a family of 8 all at once. I was resigned to becoming That Car, but Suburbans are ubiquitous around here. My husband drives a 2003 Saturn. Both cars are teenagers and have 150-200k miles on them. They have both served this family very well.

Previously, we walked through the factors that determine how much food stamp assistance you receive. We talked about different types of income, and about deductions, and how much you are expected to contribute to your own grocery budget. We also previously talked about what kinds of food you can get with your benefits, and how to really make them work hard for you. So now that you have food stamps, let’s take a look at where you can spend them.

What a crazy statement! Joy killed my soul? Not exactly. More precisely, it was JOY that killed my soul. Perhaps I should explain. I have noticed an epidemic of low self-esteem in our society. I believe there are many contributors to this problem, but I want to focus on one that I suspect is very influential. Let me start by saying that I have lots of friends who are religious, and very devout. My brother-in-law is a Lutheran minister, and another friend is a Catholic blogger. They are great people. I am not here to bash on Christianity or religion in general. It is just this one notion that I would like people to rethink.

It’s Thursday again, which means it is time to count our blessings. Today I am especially thankful for the great abundance of black raspberries that surround our property. We live in the middle of our rural town on 3/4 of an acre (that is a whole other post for another week), and a good 75% or more of the perimeter is bordered by black raspberry canes. So far I have picked a total of 12 quarts, plus two that my mother came over and picked. We’re not done yet, and I have neglected picking for a couple of days now. Overload has set in.

Food stamps are for food, right? Well, yes, but there are exceptions. It is generally well known that food stamps are used to buy groceries, but not all food is equally eligible. There are certain places where you can use them, and places where you cannot, which we will cover in our next post. Here we will go over some of the things you may never have thought of when planning your grocery budget.

Wow, Trump sure knows how to inspire people to passion, doesn’t he? You either love him or loathe him. I will be completely honest and say that the man who is running for president frightens me. But here’s the thing — I don’t know if that is indeed the real Donald Trump. There have been several little things that make me wonder just what the chances really are of a Trump presidency.

Welcome to the first of my Thankful Thursday series. Each week I post something for which I am thankful. Gratitude is an incredibly important aspect of living a happy and fulfilling life. It is key to success. Pollyanna was right — there is always something for which you can be thankful. Lest we forget that, every Thursday I share a post about something for which I am especially thankful.

Have you ever wondered how food stamps are calculated? With so many families receiving assistance from the government in the form of food stamps these days, you may have wondered if you or someone you love is eligible. You may have applied and received a letter of determination with a table of numbers that looked confusing. I will walk you through the math as done in the state of New Hampshire (where I live) so you can better understand it and use that knowledge to your advantage.

Lots of horrible things happen in our world, and it seems as though there are more and more of them lately. Climate change seems to be reflected in our societal behavior, with more frequent and severe storms surprising us every time we turn around. People seem to be more rude to each other and uncivil in everyday interactions, just as the average temperature rises. But we also have our hurricanes and tornadoes that show up in society as mass shootings and other terrorist attacks. Continue reading “Climate Change, Incivility, and Clutter”